The weekend was spent in perpetual fun mode. Major and minor concerns were kicked to the curb, temporarily, in pursuit of good times. Which were had and photographed.
Friday night: Nomo played an amazing set at The Whole and things got a little bit rowdy with Retribution Gospel Choir at the 501.
Saturday: The little man and I walked down to the Cinco de Mayo Parade (where I shook Al Franken’s hand, and the boy danced along with the drum lines) then we headed over to The Source for Free Comic Book Day, which was a huge hit.
Saturday night: A lovely fire in the backyard with friends and smores.
Sunday: Our regular visit to the gym was skipped in favor of hitting up the May Day Parade, where many friends were seen. Still haven’t processed those photos. Upon getting home I crash-landed on the front porch couch for a much-needed nap. Then spent the evening finally watching episodes from season one of 30 Rock. I know, I know, way behind the times but I get there in the end.
I’ve got a lot of catching up I should be doing this week, but there’s even more fun to come. Seeing Vivian Girls in the Entry tomorrow night. Taking the lad to a performance of Ramona Quimby at the Children’s Theatre on Thursday. A field trip to a nature center on Friday. And another evening of friends and shows and staying out too late on Friday. But I’ll take what I can get, when I get it.
Bonus: Musicians Preferred; Loud Music O.K.
Plus: WHA?!!! Prison officer zaps children with 50,000-volt stun gun ‘to show them what a day at work is like’
And: Nicolas Cage Stunt Driver Wrecks Ferrari In Times Square. Sadly, Cage’s career will survive.
Yet another SharynLifeFAILâ„¢. I should know better, really, but once again I’ve been bitchslapped by fate. The roommate who was going to move in today didn’t. At the last minute he found cheaper digs, closer to where he works. No hard feelings, really. Just a heaping helping of disappointment. I should have known it couldn’t be that easy, that a suitable roommate wouldn’t just fall into my lap, so to speak. I will have to make more of an effort. And after going over the numbers this afternoon it will have to be soon. But I like to think of myself as a weeble. I may wobble, but I don’t fall down.
I plan to take the night off from stress and distress. Going to see Nomo at The Whole soon, followed by Retribution Gospel Choir at the 501 Club. I approve of staggered set times at venues that aren’t too far from one another.
Tomorrow is the big Cinco de Mayo parade within walking distance of home. The lowrider cars have always made giggle. Some old photos of mine were used in a story today on Minnesota Public Radio’s site: Lowrider car show a celebration of culture, creativity. After reading that I couldn’t help but notice this article: Swine flu fears won’t stop Cinco de Mayo celebrations. I hadn’t thought to worry, but now I can’t get it out of my head. And today I feel a little achey. It’s the hypochondria kicking in (and seasonal allergies). Must shake it.
Bonus: It’s another super busy weekend in the metro area with Cinco de Mayo, Heart of the Beast May Day, and the Walker’s Free First Saturdays. But tomorrow is also Free Comic Book Day!
Plus: Was talking with a co-worker friend who is also a fan of Hayao Miyazaki. He clued me into Joe Hisaishi, the composer who scores all of Miyazaki’s films. Great stuff. Another film composer, Yann Tiersen, performed here recently. Heard it was an excellent show.
And: More additions have finally been announced for ATP NY. The highlights for me? Boredoms performing 9 drummer BOREDRUM and Caribou performing as Caribou Vibration Ensemble.
The universe has been throwing a few more hurdles my way than usual. And while I may not nimbly leap over them like a graceful gazelle, I have been brute forcing my way through and around them. For I am mighty! A crushing dominating force! To be feared! Oh wait, I don’t want to frighten the new roommate. He moves in tomorrow. I’d never really gotten serious about the roommate search, but somehow the universe provided in this instance. Fingers crossed that it’s a good fit. I remain cautiously optimistic.
Staying on the posi tip, five (or more) good things:
So yes, things are looking up ever so slightly. I’m hoping the universe continues to roll that way, lest I revert to SHARYN SMASH mode. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.
For dinner today I made use of Punch’s $3 pizza coupon. The Cortina (sans cheese) was most excellent. As was the company. Five other good things:
- Laundry fairies! Ok, ok, so it’s really a commercial but it’s done rather well. And now I wish they were real and would help me. Mostly with folding. Oh how I despise folding laundry.
- Los Vesparados is an art show combining the cult-following of the scooter crowd with hip and varied styles of art from a line-up of over 25 local and international artists. Opens June 13th, 2009 at 6:00pm and goes for the rest of the weekend. It will be in the gallery on the third floor of the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis.
- Odd but interesting news: Andrew W.K. to host ‘Destroy Build Destroy’ on Cartoon Network
Andrew W.K. has a new gig involving metal: The rocker will host Cartoon Network’s live-action reality competition Destroy Build Destroy, EW.com has learned. Each week two teams of teens — with the help of experts, wrecking balls, and explosions — obliterate some sort of large-scale vehicle or machine, then create something entirely different out of it. The winners get to annihilate the losers’ work. Destroy Build Destroy will debut this summer.
- 100 Cameras Africa: cameras were taken to orphanages in Uganda and Sudan and given to children. After learning how to use a camera, their one task was to simply document their lives. The children’s photographs will be displayed and sold. 100% of proceeds from the sales will go back to the orphanages where the pictures were taken.
- Clockwork, as always. I thank my lucky stars to work for and with such amazing folks. Especially the Geek Girls, pictured below. Their Twit and Twat mugs are most amusing.
It was another weekend of highs and lows. On Friday I received some news that wasn’t unexpected. But it wasn’t exactly welcome either. I’ve made oblique references to the situation before without getting too personal. It boils down to this - the man I fell for, and have been seeing on and off all year - is moving out of state. For work. I knew it was likely to happen, and in this economy no one can fault him for it. But it will be hard. For me, for him, for our friends. That it is happening sooner than anticipated only exacerbates matters. But it is only for two years. I’m not sure if that makes it better or worse. I will do what I can for him. That may include venturing into the Dirty South for visits.
I stayed out so late Saturday night I missed an 8am flickr photowalk in St. Paul yesterday, but my good times more than made up for it. Like seeing two shows in one day (I was aiming for four or five shows but punked out). It was a mob scene of photographers armed with flashes at Coalesce / Disembodied. Like lightning in this video (and feel/hear the thunder). Grabbed a quick post-show bite at Hard Times with Adam. He went back to the Triple Rock to shoot The Night Marchers but I headed to First Amendment to see The Book of Right On. Re-grouped with friends later for some quality time, which led to my 3am laughing fit on the sidewalk of 3rd Avenue. Surprised the po-po didn’t pull over to see what my deal was. But they were probably too busy dealing with the Dinkytown riots. What’s the matter with people?
My son also had a fantastic Saturday night. Some wonderful friends took him overnight. He played outside with their son before drafting him into the cult of papercraft. It’s his latest fixation. There are worse things but I haven’t got the patience for it. Instead I spent my Sunday napping on and off, baking banana bread and catching up on Dollhouse.
Bonus: Next weekend promises to be another busy one. Cinco de Mayo festivities in my neighborhood Friday and Saturday, and then the 35th Annual Heart of the Beast May Day Parade on Sunday.
Plus: Somewhere along the way I kinda forgot about Metafilter. Silly me. It’s still chock full of fresh goodness.
And: In Tottori Prefectre, the World Sand Sculpture Festival 2009. And an amazing photo series: Peering into North Korea.
My most disturbing dreams have nothing to do with the paranormal or being impaled or having snipers targeting me in my bed (though those dreams are plenty distressing, believe me). The most panic-inducing involve my son. Thankfully I don’t often remember them but a recent one was a doozy. In it we were at a busy park next to a river. We became separated. I thought I saw him board a tour boat and pushed my way through the crowd, in what felt like slo-mo, to reach him. But suddenly I wound up on the boat just as it pulled away. Looking back to the shore I spotted him wandering off through the park. Then I woke up. It may sound benign enough, but I still feel ill thinking about it. I wouldn’t mind some more uneventful dreams. Like the ones a friend apparently has about me. He sent me this: “I had a dream you sorted my socks last night.” He really is dreaming. I don’t even sort my own socks.
Bonus: So a ghost, a werewolf and a vampire walk into a bar…well, maybe they do. They are roommates and all. The BB3 dramedy Being Human sounds like it would be right up my alley.
Plus: An insane animated Scrabble ad.
And: So my son was asking me how he could make some money, aside from selling lemonade. When I suggested he sell some of his art instead he gasped, completely taken aback, protesting “but my drawings mean everything to me.” Wow. Maybe I ought to have more of them tattooed on my body.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
On this Earth Day I find my thoughts turning toward a different planet. Caprica. Yes, tonight I plan to watch a two-hour pilot for the Battlestar Galactica spin-off (even though the series doesn’t begin until next year). My busy brain seeks out escapism rather than dwelling on real world problems. Not terribly helpful, I realize, but I’m working on it. Back down to Earth…I am envious of Chris Guillebeau. The motivated young man who made - and is successfully carrying out - A Plan to See Every Country on Earth by the Age of 35. He also runs The Art of Noncomformity: Unconventional Strategies for Life, Work and Travel. I plan to explore that site a bit more (and hope to explore a bit more of the world eventually). And in much more local news, Mpls St. Paul Magazine featured our very own Sheela Namakkal, filed under People Who Do Cool Things. Cool indeed. Speaking of people who do cool things, I Like You! - a store featuring local, handmade items - has moved across town from South Minneapolis to NE. And I’ve got to work on doing my own cool things. I’ve mailed off my contract to participate as an artist/vendor in this year’s Red Hot Art Festival, in early June. That’ll be here before you know it. Enough of the escapism. Guess I need to work on “keeping it non-fiction.”
Walking into work this morning I was greeted by my co-worker Matt, who assaulted me with goodness. First, in the form of a vegan blueberry almond cupcake, handcrafted by Sheela, who claims the frosting is made from unicorn tears. Then while consuming (and photographing) said cupcake he showed me various unicorn-related videos. Like Charlie the Unicorn (how had I never seen that one?) and Unicorn in C Major (better with the sound off) and Unicorn Rap.
Five other good things:
Despite some setbacks over the last week this past weekend was much better than the previous one. A decent balance between work and play. Many movies were seen. Friday I gave into the boy’s demands to see 17 Again. Saturday I saw Sunshine Cleaning on my own, after a long day of photo assisting at a wedding. And on Sunday, despite or perhaps because of our lethargy, we lazed while watching dance-themed movies. Kicked it off with a mini Gene Kelly marathon, then moved on to Planet B-Boy and ended with Step Up 2: The Streets…though I’d really wanted to watch Flashdance instead. Alas, it is sadly unavailable via Netflix Instant. But the world doesn’t revolve around our Roku box. Honest. I may even see some real live friends this week. And skip a free screening of Star Trek to do so.
It is widely known, I have a thing for librarians. But this one is particularly heroic.
Nancy Evans saved the tapes from the Lunar Orbiter missions of the mid-60s in a warehouse at JPL, and the drives for them in her garage. She begged NASA to restore the drives, they weren’t interested. Now retired, she finally found people who could fix the drives, Dennis Wingo, Keith Cowing and Ken Zin. It took them three months and $250K, but they brought the drives up again.
Images of the Earth, pre-global-warming, seem like something we’d want to hang on to.
And now a mostly film-related round up:
Bonus: Gama Go opening a store in San Francisco = awesome! First Ave opening a burger joint = weird. And Art of the Mix members migrating to Zen Running Order = uncertain. And this week in cupcakes? BLISSFUL.
Plus: A new favorite in the self-deprecating blog category: Pacing the Panic Room.
And: Why You Should Care About Record Store Day from The Stranger.
Sometimes my son will go to bed with an idea in his head, wake up the next morning and resume hammering away at it immediately. Ad nauseam. Like he’d just pressed the pause button for a spell. The kid sure knows how to wear me down, but he’s not even doing it intentionally. He isn’t the manipulative sort. His fixations are generally pretty esoteric. His current one? Related to his class field trip today, to Como Zoo (one of the most depressing zoos around though, yes, they have made some improvements since I was a kid). Admission to the zoo is free but the Mold-A-Rama machines are not. Last year he procured a complete set of wax animals but has since damaged his gorilla. He plans to replace it today but to do so needed two dollars. When I picked him up at the school bus stop yesterday he asked for the two dollars. All night he kept reminding me that he’d need two dollars. His incessant demands for TWO DOLLARS brought to mind the paperboy in Better Off Dead, though my son isn’t nearly so sinister. Clearly. I offered the boy a five dollar bill instead but he got all bent out of shape, not wanting the responsibility of those extra three bucks. Or the hassle of getting change, really. He just wanted two crisp one dollar bills to feed to the machine. To that end we left the house early this morning, so I could stop by a gas station. The things I do for that boy. Sure, it’s just two dollars but I’ve been trying to talk to him - in general terms - about not asking for so much. Money is still too abstract an idea to him but it’s very real to me, and it’s extra tight these days. And all the anxiety I’ve been feeling? Eerily reminiscent of my experiences during the dot com bust. But I’ll pull through it. I’ve been taking measures to ensure that I do. Belt-tightening all around, including refinancing my mortgage. Closing on that tomorrow. And then I’ll definitely be in need of some low-cost fun in my life. Thankfully I’ve got some Pictionary with friends penciled in for tomorrow night.
Bonus: I’m a sucker for cute, and Artbox is chock full of it! Must avoid at all costs.
Plus: I’d kinda forgotten about Kasabian. And then this popped up: Fielding In Field With Pointy Stick = Funny Video. I’m all for vintage vampire nonsense.
And: Snuggie pub crawl, for a good cause! Hot Recap: Snuggiefest ‘09. I still prefer the Slanket. Mostly because it’s more fun to say.
